Identification and characterisation of human Junctional Adhesion Molecule (JAM)

It is widely believed that migrating immune cells utilise the intercellular junctions as routes of passage, and in doing so cause the transient disrup tion of junctional structures. Thus there is much interest in the molecules that have been identified at cell-cell contact points and their potential involvement in the control of leukocyte diapedesis. In this report we describe the human orthologue to Junctional Adhesion Mole cule (JAM), a recently identified member of the immunoglobulin superfamily expressed at intercellular junctions (Martin-Padura et al., 1998). The huma n protein shares a highly conserved structure and sequence with the murine protein. However it is distinct in that it is constitutively expressed on c irculating neutrophils, monocytes, platelets and lymphocyte subsets. This b road expression pattern is similar to another IgSF molecule, CD31, expresse d at intercellular junctions, and may indicate further complexities in the control of leukocyte/endothelial interactions. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Lt d. All rights reserved.